Maybe someone can set me straight. My mother used to prepare Palacinky for brerakfast. Thin like Crepes, rolled up with marmelade inside, and sprinkelled with confection sugar and cinnamon. During my recent visit to CZ, when I ordered Palacinky at a eatery for breakfast, I was served, what I call Hot Cakes (Pankakes straight from Aunt Jemimas box) with syrup and all. Just like in the US... Hence, I like to know what is a Palacinka -- Hot Cakes/ Pancakes or Crepes? -- or was this just my mothers variation and named improperly... Thanks, Viktor
I'm not American, I don't know what difference is between Hot Cakes, Pancakes and Crepes. Anyway, here are some pictures of palačinka, which I found via google. 1 2 3 EDIT: I looked for pictures on google about Hot Cakes, Pancakes and Crepes. And I think that czech Palčinka is most similar to the Crepes. (But my teacher at school translates palačinka like pancake).
gementricxs: Thank you for the graphics. Yes that is what my mother used to serve, she only rolled them as a tubicka and they were thin and almost crunchy. Tha is not what I was served in the CZ eatery. That is what is commonly known as Crepes For your information, Pancakes/Hot Cakes in the US are about 6 in. dia. (15cm) and 1/2 in. (15mm) thick and spongy -- easier and cheaper to make. no eggs -- They are called Pancakes in the easter half of the US and Hot Caked in the western parts. No where as tasty as the real Czech placinkas of yesteryear. I guess the Czech eateries are americanizing their menu. Fast, cheep & easy... Viktor
Fast, cheep & easy... thus profitable...franchise mania here now, everyone wants to be a KFC owner. At least the days of Amway, NuSkin are gone...now if we could just work on outting Marcus Evans, another pyramid...
YOUR MOTHER WAS RIGHT. I am not sure about addding cinnamon to sugar if there is jam in palacinka, but otherwise your mother had original thing. Translation of word Palacinka to pancake is simply very wrong. Two very different things. I hate those translation of foods. French crepe would be the closest, even though (as far as I know) French fold it and Czechs roll it up. I also think tat french crepe is crunchy sometimes and palacinka is never cruncy. Traditionally it is filled with home made jam, but it can also be filled with stewed fruit. I am in Prague now and I took Canadian friends to a restaurant specialising in Czech food. All food was good except Palacinka. They ended up with palacinka made probably in the morning (or day before)and was steemed up before serving. It was filled with very pale canned peaches and whip cream on the side. I am born Czech and after tasting it I found it simply revolting - knowing how real palacinka tastes and looks. It is a mystery to me why foreigners should be served such a inferior food. Palacinka is very inexpensive food to make andit takes about 2 minutes to fry it on barely oiled pan. You can store dough (cream consisency) in the fridge.
Viktor, did you order in English ("pancakes") or Czech ("palacinky"). I just remember you mentioning somewhere that you usually speak English with stranger while in the Czech Republic. If you ordered in Czech, then either that particular restaurant has become way too Americanized, or else you got ripped off! Either way, it's a shame.
Magan: Hope you are enjoying your trip, visiting family and old friends. Thanks for the reply. I was certain that there are still some Czechs there, who remeber to old traditional cusine. My mother was a gem, for she beleived if you can't make it from scrach yourself, it's not worth eating --- her life was in the kitchen 10 Hrs a day(years ago she was the pastry cheff for Kaluss's restaurant in Berwyn on 22nd, until my step father forbit her working outside the home. Perhaps because she was earning more then him). Anyway, it's a shame the current generation is more concerned with profitability than tradition. Besides beer, Czech cooking/dining at one time was a delightfull experience, an art that is slowly going by the way of progress. I've tried making Palacinka at home, but I never seem to be able to get it as thin --not crunch, but like the Italians say, the al dente texture-- Also, although they are served all over the republic, the commercialy produced knedliky --dumplings -- should be considered a travesty (taste like boiled bread). But since the new generation does not know the "real" taste, they do not miss it (left over kledliky dipped in egg for breakfast sprinkeled with sugar, yum-m-m). Hope you have enjoyable visit in CZ and safe trip back home. I'm now planing to visit Bratislava for most of the month in November -- I do not need Prague to dinne at KFC -- as I understand they still serve the old traditional Slovak meals. Haven't had Halusky since Mom died 4 years ago. Later, have a happy!!! Viktor PS. Do Czechs still know what a tzmunda is as a snack? or did they all switch to Lays Potato chips...
Sova: I did order Palacinki in Czech and was served Pan Cakes. You are right, most of the time, I'll try first in English before I switch to Czech. I enjoy the expression on their faces when they are caught after a slandorous/wisecrack remark about the stupid American tourist. Viktor PS: did you give up driving yet, so I can stop smoking?
I looked up Swedish pancakes and yes, it seems like a same thing as crepes/palacinka. Victor: I just found your message (two years later). I have been back in CR few times since then and will be going again this October. Yes, I am oldtimer and I have had lifelong experience in eating - not only Czech traditional. I must have tasted Svickova million times and every one of them was different - price really doesn't matter as it depends on taste of the chef. I wish I can show you how to make palacinky, but you are way too far for that. If you follow recipe (easy: milk, bit of sugar, touch of salt, 1 egg and all purpose flour), make it really runny, leave it in fridge (make some for few days) and on hot non-stick pan start with "scoop" of batter and roll the pan around off the heat to coat pan, very thin. Good luck in making them again, perhaps this time it will turn just right.
Viktor, I love the Kaluss restaurant. Too bad your mom isn't still a cook there. As for thin Palačinky, try spreading out the batter with a spatula. Also try puting less batter on the pan. Palačinky was the first Czech dish I learned to make. My trouble is not in getting it thin enough. I'm too afraid to toss & flip so I try to flip with the spatula and usually tear the palačinky. Oh well, it rolls ripped or not ripped. :wink:
dzurisovak: Secret is to have batter VERY runny, almost consistency of the cream and mix it day before so it binds well. If batter gets too thick overnight, add milk next day. Just pour one smallish soup ladle on hot (wiped with bit of oil) pan and quickly move liquid around so it coats the pan. After bottom is golden, turn it to other side with spatula. I hope this works. It never goes wrong for me.
a technique I used to use in a restaurant years ago: start with a thin batter, heat omlette pan (with rounded edges) to medium hot, dip bottom into flat container of batter, drip off excess, place upside down on burner. cook until top side of batter is "dry". no need to flip - just fold or roll with brown side out. makes very thin, even crepes (palačinky). you can make quite a stack very quickly - store with a piece of parchment paper between each one and cover with a damp (not wet) cloth to keep them moist.
it's not messy at all - you just need to be a little careful - the batter sticks immediately to the warm pan. then again - it's like the one handed flip turns you see chefs do on tv - if you know how, it is easy, fast, and very clean - if you don't, you will garnish your kitchen floor if you like them brown on both sides - don't do it this way it wouldn't work well on a glass top stove - the heat isn't concentrated enough - works best with gas, regular electric is ok - like I said, I did this in a restaurant - no electric ranges there, only gas. electric is way too slow to react for commercial cooking.
You all missing the one important ingredients, "Tuzemsky Rum" today called "Tuzemak" because of the EU. 1 tablespoon for each egg. And do not use the biggest pan, 6 to 8" is the best to have the thinnest palacinky under the sun. BTW, if you got problem to flip the palacinka in the air, use two pans. It's also save you time. My family is able to eat them as fast as I can make them and I do use 3-4 pans and flipping them like a pro. They are so thin, so everybody wants more to just to feel full. Have fun! Jan
